Comments/Questions SRGC Seed Ex. List No, 65

[Tasmanian Taffy]

Finally received my seed order today        I think Her Majesties Royal Mail must have sent them over here on a rowing boat,but at last they are here and I only missed out on a few choices so thanks to all the people who make this seed exchange possible.

[Lori S.]

I got my seeds today too!  Thanks very kindly to everyone who makes this seedex possible!

[Maggi Young]

Question just in: how to germinate Ranzania japonica or Helonopsis orientalis?
or are these short lived seeds that have no hope? (having been through the seed ex)

I've heard from a friend who was sent seed of Ranzania japonica, very fresh, and it germinated in a couple of weeks. It was outside, but under a cover. Then it did nothing and it was thought to be failing.

The following year he got some more  seed, the pot was put outside at once and that too germinated very quickly  These grew on well and made more leaves which the first lot hadn't. Then the first batch were outside too and they too have grown away well.

They advice given was that they don't like to be coddled and should be planted out (not potted) as soon as big enough. But fresh seed is important as it is with Jeffersonia.

[Maggi Young]

Finally received my seed order today        I think Her Majesties Royal Mail must have sent them over here on a rowing boat,but at last they are here and I only missed out on a few choices so thanks to all the people who make this seed exchange possible.

Glad the seed are safely sarrived in fair Tasmania.

Have to say, since the Seed Distribution only began at the beginning of January, the work done mainly at weekends and all orders now sent.... it seems to me that even by row boat, the arrival time is not bad! 

[Tasmanian Taffy]

Hi Maggi,
my seeds were posted on the seventh of January they have taken exactly a month to get here,
that is definitely snail mail as the average time for mail from the U.K. is seven to ten days.I am just very pleased they arrived once again a big thanks to all involved.

[Maggi Young]

Hi Maggi,
my seeds were posted on the seventh of January they have taken exactly a month to get here,
that is definitely snail mail as the average time for mail from the U.K. is seven to ten days.I am just very pleased they arrived once again a big thanks to all involved.

Is that the time usually taken for ordinary mail, Taffy, or can seeds that go through inspection arrive in 7 to 10 days as well? ?

[Lesley Cox]

I wondered about that too. Seeds sent to me in January from the UK took 4 days to reach me but anything MAF inspects will take up to 3 weeks, maybe even more. I suspect there are fewer inspectors on duty following the Christmas/New Year holidays, which maybe means somethings are missed. We have a statutory obligation to return such items for inspection.

[Tasmanian Taffy]

Hi again,
I am registered with Quarantine Tasmania as a seed importer so as long as I notify Quarantine of what I am importing and the expected arrival date of the seed into the country it does not get stopped by Quarantine.There are certain rules that you must comply with to become a registered seed importer,one rule is you must be very honest and tell them exactly what you are importing   

[Lesley Cox]

Can't see the thread about Seeds germinating now. I must be blind as surely it's handy.

Anyway, 4 of my SRGS seeds are germinating now, sown Jan 20th. This morning, the latest is Gypsophila aretioides and because it's so quick and because there was quite a lot of seed (also from AGS) I'm wondering, cynic that I am, if in fact the seed is of Gypsophila cerastioides, not aretioides. Time will tell.

[BryanEmery]

Lesley
You cant really mean that if they miss a package you have to return it to them for inspection!?!? That is their problem, in my books they miss it too bad! Glad we don't have that here!

B

[Lesley Cox]

Yes Bryan, I really DO mean that. Whether it happens is another matter. About 5 years ago I had a parcel of bulbs arrive uninspected, (seeds sometimes slip through but never bulbs) from Tasmania and because I import quite a few bulbs from there and a lot of seeds from all over, I thought maybe MAF was testing me to see what I'd do so I was a very good girl and phoned the Auckland Mail Centre hort inspectors. They said to take it into my local office which I was happy to do as I knew all was OK. But Auckland and Chch don't charge for small, private import inspections though they are entitled to. Local office said, everything's fine and you can have the parcel back on payment of $200! The B.......s I had to pay it before they'd give me my bulbs.

[Shadylanejewel]

you can have the parcel back on payment of $200! The B.......s I had to pay it before they'd give me my bulbs.

  That's highway robbery and extortion!  I hope you had ordered a very large quantity of bulbs and that they are all still alive and well. 

[BryanEmery]

They would have a hayday here! My surplus seed arrived today and it contained some bulbs that were put in by accident. CFIA is NOT getting a call from me!

I am so sorry you have to deal with that craziness !

I have enough trouble getting people's pets ready to move to Australia and new Zealand, can't imagine if I had to do it for plants...

[BryanEmery]

A few years ago the CFIA changed the requirements for imports, we would normally just all orchid species and hybrids. Then they started requiring that EVERY genera be listed on your application. That only lasted a year before we forced them to change it back. The problem was that with so many man made genera in orchids it was hard to keep up. I have a friend that had plants taken out of a shipment because one of the man made genera included one genus that was not on her permit, even though that unlisted genus was used only once in the breeding over 100 years ago and only made up less then 1 % of its genetic make up. Thankfully we have had that changed! Also it was hard to keep up with those damn taxonomists changing the names!

[Lesley Cox]

Well the payment added about another third to the price of the bulbs but they are all doing well fortunately.

Bryan I think it's a lot easier to import animals than it is plants. Anthony Darby's dog was in quarantine for just a couple of weeks I think whereas plants have to go through 12 months (dormant bulbs from Australia are the exception though the red tape in the ordering is enough to encircle the globe). Racehorces come over from OZ for a couple days racing and I think only need a vet inspection before getting on with it. May be wrong about that but they certainly have a much easier time than a primula or rhododendron!